Fire-escape



(No Model.)

J. W. GORDER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

N0. 307,019. Patented 0013. 21, 1884.

Ki E! 'IOL a v c B U F WITNESSES: INVENTOR veg N. PEGIRS, Pnewumn m her, Wanhmglom at;

' drum sufficient to propel the baskets.

UNITED gTATllS ATENT rricn.

JESSE \V. CORDEP, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

KL": TJ'LIJZCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,019, dated October 21, 1884.

Application filed June 27, 1884.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn W. Gonnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Grand Rapids, county of Kent, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fireeseapes in which the escape is adjusted to a building by means of a stationary track made fast to the top of a building, that the escape may be run round the building at pleasure to any point, passing round the corners as readily as on the sides; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a continuous track around the building on which the escape will operate; second, to provide two baskets, so that while the one is ascending the other is descending, and may be stopped at any window or opening at any height and take a person on; and, third, that my invention may be used as an elevator when so desired, thereby making it useful at all times; and, finally, it may be fastened at a given point,

and power attached for its more convenient use as an elevator. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my invention adjusted to a building, showing its posiiion. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the car riage which operates on the track. Fig. 3 shows a side view of a brake for holding the carriage at any point. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower portion of the carriage, showing drum and gearings. Fig. 5 is a side view of a cam-brake to regulate the speed of descent of the baskets. Fig. (i is a perspective view of the basket.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

c a a are braces to support the track E to the building.

A A are baskets attached to the cable D D,

which passes over idle-pulleys F F, and is passed one or more times round the drum J, for the purpose of creating a friction 011 said The cables 13 B are attached to the levers K K of the canrbrake Q, which is made in two sec- (Xo model.)

tions and j oiut-ed at O, and clasps frictionwheel 3 firmly, causing brake on the revolution of said friction-wheel, which brake is iirinly held at the bottom by two spiral springs, R, which are provided with tension-nuts S on the ends of the same, thereby allowing the friction-\vhee13 to turn in the said brake M, when the brake is loosened on the said fric tion-wheel, by working the levers K K, that the said baskets may be raised or lowered as rapidly as desired.

0 O is a handcable passing over the groovedflange portion of the wheel 3, as shown at N, the object being to propel the gearings H and G, driving the drum J, and thus setting in mo tion the baskets A A, thereby allowing a person in the basket to elevate or lower himself, or to stand on the ground and operate the escape in rescuing others. The track E encircles the whole or part of the building, as may be desired, allowing the escape or elevator to be run to any point along the track and there worked.

I is a shalt on which friction-wheel 3 and the grooved flange N and the small spur-wheel H are attached at opposite ends, as shown in Fl 4:, in connection with the large spur-wheel G, made fast to drum J, for the purpose substantially as before described.

The bar L. is firmly attached to the trucksupports 2 2, as shown in the drawings, so that when passing a corner on said track the trucks may turn as a common caster, being provided with a pivotal pin.passing through a hole in the carriage-frame P 1, (shown at 6 6,)

l 1? being side pieces of the lower portion of the carriage-frame.

The basket is made oblong, with four sides, having the side next the building open, '1 representing the bail or arm, U door of the basket, Va slot and set-screw to allow the slotted bar TV, which receives the caster-wheel 1, to be adjusted so as to keep the basket a desired distance from the building, the caster working against the wall of the building.

X Y X Y represent the upper and lower pulley-wheels, respectively, supporting the earriage on track E.

4 and 5 are clutches to pulley-wheel X, for the purpose of stopping and securing the escape or eleralor from moving larthcr on the track at any point desired.

I am aware that prior to my invention fireescapes have been made to be operated on a track somewhat similar to mine, but am not aware of any that is adjusted to the track as mine, or that there has yet been patented a fire escape having two baskets worked as mine. I therefore do not claim, broadly, the general combination of the escape in connection with the means of running it around the building on the track; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The double truck with two sets of pul: leys or travelers, X Y X Y, fastened to the supports 2 2, which supports are so adjusted to the lower portion of the carriage I? I at 6 6, forming a pivot or swivel, that the truck may follow the track around the corner, substantially as described.

2. Thecombination of the brake M, jointed at O, passing round the friction-wheel 3, firmly secured bytwo spiral springs, R, and tightened by nuts S on the head of the cam Q, in connection with levers K K, and operated by the cable-wire B B, and the flange N on frictionwheel 3, over which passes endless chain or cable, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the carriage by which cable 1) D, to which baskets A A are suspended, passes. over pulleys F F, with one or more turns round drum J, and gearings G H, substantially as described.

4. The self-dropping clutches 4 and 5, dropping on the track E in front and behind wheel X, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the baskets A A on cable D D, passing over the idle-pulleys F F, round the drum J, in connection with gearing G, H, and I, and the frictiouwheel 3 and N,

and the brakes M, and the cam Q, and levers 

